“I’ll be alright, Zoe. I know you’re in the house. I’ll message you if I need anything. I do feel a strange peace about what happened. I can’t explain it, but I will when I work it out.”

“You’re special, Ruby.” Zoe patted Ruby on the legs, stood, and looked up at the light. “Did you want me to leave the light on?”

“I’ll put on my reading light.” Ruby reached over and turned the light on and gave Zoe a smile. “I’ll be fine.”

“Remember to text if there’s anything you need.” She walked to the door, switched of the bedroom light, and left Ruby to conquer any fears that were to assail her.

She was glad Zoe left the door open, so she could hear her pottering around in the kitchen. Zoe was a good friend. Shoana . . . she wasn’t so sure about Shoana. Ruby hesitated but closed her eyes and was glad when bright patterns swirled around in her eyelids. She didn’t remember seeing these patterns when she was—

She opened her eyes and sat up.

There was a shadow in the corner of the room. Standing. 

Please go away.

The shadow didn’t move. She blinked several times, then realised the shadow was nothing more than a large plant that she moved into her room last week. She’d forgotten, wasn’t used to it yet.

What happened? She closed her eyes again. The patterns swirled and danced. She was grateful for the men who saved her. Her eyes watered up. The shorter man . . . his eyes. She wished he was here now. There was a peace about him, and she wanted that peace. She remembered the other man from the boat, the one with the beard. He was out the back with Ruby and the other lady. 

The lady. Something she said. She’d asked how her mother had died. Why did she ask such a personal question? Was she just being friendly, or was there some sinister motive? 

What stupid thoughts, Ruby. 

She wasn’t tired enough to sleep. She reached for her backpack and pulled out her MacBook. What else had happened in the world during her island visit? She checked the news stream: the usual stories relating to sex, weight loss, death, rape, murder, the gay community, earthquakes, world conflicts. Why did she bother? Why did negative news far outweigh the positive? It wasn’t really negative news—it was news that attracted people’s attention. If no one read the stuff, there would be no news. 

Next, her Facebook page. She’d posted about her plans for the weekend. The MacBook had stayed home and her phone had been neglected since her trip, so she hadn’t had a chance to see comments to her post. Her mind had been elsewhere, some dark place. She tried to smile with that thought as she scrolled through the comments.

Someone—a Christian—had made a comment that she should stay away from the occult. Shoana had taken offence to that, replying that Wiccan wasn’t the occult.

And the battle went on. Witches, Wiccan, black magic, magick. 

Shoana was definitely protective of her Wiccan. Ruby was confused. Wiccan was all about nature and brought god into it—god was in everything. Why would this Christian oppose a nature-loving religion? Didn’t God make all things? But why would the Wiccan followers bury someone alive?

She had been a sacrifice. A sacrifice for what? And why her?

One comment in the post frightened Ruby. It said Wiccans communicated with demons.

Demonic deception. She texted Zoe.

<°)))><

Zoe came into the room in her pyjamas. Her pyjama top had a rabbit popping out of a hat. Magic. Appropriate. She sat down beside Ruby. 

“You okay?”

“Just a bit spooked.” Ruby propped herself up.

“I can understand that, and I can’t imagine what you went through or are going through. Sometimes it’s best to talk through things. But if you’re like me, you don’t remember much about the event. And that infuriates me—that they drugged us, and I can’t even remember any of the people there.”

“It’s okay, Zoe. The police are going to do their stuff.”

“That detective was quite cute,” Zoe said, regaining her composure. Her comment lightened the heaviness in the room.

“Married, but he gave me a card if you want to contact him.”

“Just as well we have good Christian values.” 

Ruby pulled the covers up towards her neck. “Funny you say that, Zoe. Are you a Christian?”

“I’ve never been asked that before. I suppose I am. I always try and do the right thing, although I do have a weakness for men.” She gave Ruby a light punch. “Are you?” 

“I’ve never been asked that before either. I just made the assumption that I’m not, because I don’t go to Church.”

“I go a few times a year and you can guess when that is. My parents raised me as a Christian, so I suppose that’s why I believe I’m one.”

“My parents never went to church and I don’t have a memory of God ever being mentioned in our household except Jesus being cursed.”

“Praises in my house and cursing in your house,” Zoe said. “Don’t get me wrong, I heard cursing in my house too. But I often wondered why they only cursed Jesus and not Buddha or some other god. Maybe we should go to Church together sometime and find the answers.”

“I think that’s a good idea. I believe we’ve just experienced something evil and I feel God may be the help I need to get through this.”

“Do you remember much?” Zoe said, positioning a pillow behind her back.

“No, thankfully. But my head’s not right. My mind is trying to sort out what happened. You know how you spoke about the moon on the barge.”

“The aspirin and pea discussion?”

“Yea, that. Well, I now realise the mind is more powerful than I gave it credit for. And it’s trying hard to patch up whatever it was that I experienced.”

“God must have brought those men along to save you.”

A shiver ran through her. “Maybe you’re right, Zoe. Maybe those men can help me.” 

“Do you remember their names?”

“I remember one was Christopher,” Ruby said.

“I remember the other one was Wally. And I remember him referring to his friend as Churchie.”

“Maybe he can help recommend a church.”

They laughed but Ruby was serious. She needed this man’s help.

20 – Church and a man who sees things

JACK ARRIVED HOME LATE. He was tired, and sick of weekend work.

Erica gave him a hug as he entered the house. He looked into her eyes and saw something. He wasn’t quite sure what. Something was different.